Prezydent Shaft
| Prezydent Shaft | |
|---|---|
Szyb Prezydent | |
The headframe of the Prezydent Shaft | |
Interactive map of the Prezydent Shaft area | |
| General information | |
| Location | Chorzów, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland |
| Coordinates | 50°17′53″N 18°58′02″E / 50.29806°N 18.96722°E |
| Completed | 1933 |
| Height | |
| Height | 42 m |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Reinforced concrete |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ryszard Heileman |
Prezydent Shaft (Polish: Szyb Prezydent) is a former coal-mine headframe (winding tower) in Chorzów, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland.[1] The reinforced-concrete, single-strut tower is about 42 metres tall and carries two rope sheaves 5.5 metres in diameter.[1] It forms part of the Sztygarka complex, which reuses surviving mine buildings—including former foremen's housing—for hospitality and cultural events.[2] The site is included in the Silesian Industrial Monuments Route.[1]
History
The shaft headframe was built in 1933 to serve a section of the historical Król/Königsgrube coal mine; its construction was financed by the Polish–French company Skarboferm and designed by engineer Ryszard Heileman of Katowice, who drew on French technological patterns.[1][2] The shaft was initially named Wielki Jacek and from 1937 took the name Prezydent, in honour of Ignacy Mościcki.[1][2]
In 1972 the Prezydent mine was incorporated as a district into the Polska mine in Świętochłowice; mining in the wider complex ended in the 1990s, and some surface buildings were demolished in 1996.[2][1]
Architecture
The headframe is a brace-type (single-strut) reinforced-concrete tower. It retains two parallel rope sheaves with a diameter of 5.5 metres.[1][2] According to the Industrial Monuments Route description, together with associated equipment (including a 10-ton skip) it was designed for an output exceeding 320 tonnes of coal per hour.[1][2]
Heritage protection and present use
The headframe is entered in the register of immovable monuments of the Silesian Voivodeship under reference number A/228/08 (24 October 2008).[3]
The adjacent Sztygarka complex comprises historic mine buildings adapted for hospitality and events (restaurant, guest rooms and cultural/event spaces), including the former foremen's residential building (mieszkania sztygarów).[2][1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Szyb Prezydent – Kompleks Sztygarka". Szlak Zabytków Techniki Województwa Śląskiego (in Polish). Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g Successful stories of transforming coal mining sites and areas into industrial heritage objects (PDF) (Report). CoalHeritage project. 31 October 2024. pp. 38–41. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ Rejestr zabytków nieruchomych — województwo śląskie (stan na 31.03.2024) (PDF) (Report) (in Polish). Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa. 31 March 2024. p. 30. Retrieved 25 February 2026.